Well after enduring last weekends physical pain from hiking up and down Clingmans for the Forney Creek trip, I decided, that since I must have a penchant for abuse, to subject myself to psychological pain and head through Gatinlinburg, around the Motor Loop to fish roaring fork.

First let me say, I knew heading out what I was about to put myself through to get there.

When I got to exit 407, there was no traffic going into sevierville (so far so good). THe traffic heading out to 40 was gridlock.

Got to PF bypass fine and on to the Spur. Which was going 10 mph. It was backed up even through the bypass which was only marginally faster. all of the traffic was headed up newfound gap road so I quickly found myself in Gatlingburg.

I was quickly reminded of Duckypaddlers words

So the Motor loop was crappy, but I have seen it much worse. I finally made it to the point where I was going to jump in and started fishing

Success! Took the orange neversink!

I found that despite the bright sun and clear skies and clear water, they were hitting pretty consistantly.

They like that dropper.

Scenery is nice:

The fishy wave:

Here's a littler one who took the dropper:

Fished up to the junction with Enloe Branch. Both streams seem to be equal size here (small and tight) and I didn't feel like getting frustrated so I worked my way back down towards the road. The nice thing about this part of the stream is it is still big enough to be fishable and secluded enough that you don't really hear much traffic.

Obligatory Leaf pictures

So I was kinda tired by this point but I decided to drive down to where the bridge crosses Roaring Fork by all of those buildings where all the tourons park and take pictures, so I decided to give them a little show.

I first went down to the creek right below the bridge and on the first cast pulled in a 6.5" rainbow. Just ensure the illusion would remain in their minds, I quit fishing at this point. No need to show them that that is what happens everytime, right?

Then I decided to decided to clean the fish I had kept earlier streamside and let them get a look at that. I definitely through in an 'examination of the stomach contents' for added effect. One of them had belly full of lady bugs, which I thought was strange.

Well after enduring last weekends physical pain from hiking up and down Clingmans for the Forney Creek trip, I decided, that since I must have a penchant for abuse, to subject myself to psychological pain and head through Gatinlinburg, around the Motor Loop to fish roaring fork.

First let me say, I knew heading out what I was about to put myself through to get there.

When I got to exit 407, there was no traffic going into sevierville (so far so good). THe traffic heading out to 40 was gridlock.

Got to PF bypass fine and on to the Spur. Which was going 10 mph. It was backed up even through the bypass which was only marginally faster. all of the traffic was headed up newfound gap road so I quickly found myself in Gatlingburg.

I was quickly reminded of Duckypaddlers words

So the Motor loop was crappy, but I have seen it much worse. I finally made it to the point where I was going to jump in and started fishing

Success! Took the orange neversink!

I found that despite the bright sun and clear skies and clear water, they were hitting pretty consistantly.

They like that dropper.

Scenery is nice:

The fishy wave:

Here's a littler one who took the dropper:

Fished up to the junction with Enloe Branch. Both streams seem to be equal size here (small and tight) and I didn't feel like getting frustrated so I worked my way back down towards the road. The nice thing about this part of the stream is it is still big enough to be fishable and secluded enough that you don't really hear much traffic.

Obligatory Leaf pictures

So I was kinda tired by this point but I decided to drive down to where the bridge crosses Roaring Fork by all of those buildings where all the tourons park and take pictures, so I decided to give them a little show.

I first went down to the creek right below the bridge and on the first cast pulled in a 6.5" rainbow. Just ensure the illusion would remain in their minds, I quit fishing at this point. No need to show them that that is what happens everytime, right?

Then I decided to decided to clean the fish I had kept earlier streamside and let them get a look at that. I definitely through in an 'examination of the stomach contents' for added effect. One of them had belly full of lady bugs, which I thought was strange.

Great pics. Looks like you had a pretty day to get out. Roaring fork has always been kind to me too. Nice to catch trout not far out of town.
I was noticing that last pic and was wondering if that is a brown. I saw the yellow fins and was wondring. I've never caught one out of RF.
I know one tier that splits a coffee bean and glues it to the hook shank and then paints it like a lady bug.
Lynn

Great pics. Looks like you had a pretty day to get out. Roaring fork has always been kind to me too. Nice to catch trout not far out of town.
I was noticing that last pic and was wondering if that is a brown. I saw the yellow fins and was wondring. I've never caught one out of RF.
I know one tier that splits a coffee bean and glues it to the hook shank and then paints it like a lady bug.
Lynn

Lynn, Sadly it is not a brown. I think the coloration on the fins is an artifact of the direct sunlight. I should have taken a second picture, but i just snapped one off, didn't even look at at it and then released him back to the water... too much good fishing to stop for lots of pictures! If I HAD caught a brown out of RF I would have made sure that I had good pic, because I am not sure what kind of brown pop that stream has.

Way back 'o Beyond, many an otherwise compromised trip with the family to Gatlinburg was salvaged fishing at Roaring Fork--even back when LBJ was prez when we often talked about the draft and his war between pools and smoke breaks. Like good whiskey, Roaring Fork never let me down...

You didn't leave a hat there did ya? Freddie found one that looks like one I have seen you with.

I don't think so James but I will check that I still have mine when I get home thanks for the heads up. I often carry it in my day pack but don't use it much so it could have fallen out. Sounds like a lot of people fish up in there. I fished a bit in Cosby Creek on Sunday and come back on 40. I had stupidly left my fly box and tippet and such in a gallon ziploc bag in the back of my truck and I saw the bag and tippet spools get airborne in my rear view mirror as I was going down the interstate. Luckily my fly box was too heavy and stayed in the truck bed but the 2 tippet spools I had were out and I saw one rolling down the road behind me right under a semi truck. The other one is on the interstate near that rest area before the bridge over the french broad river past Newport if anyone finds it. It was 5x orvis super strong.

Roaring Fork is a little jewel for sure....last June my buddy and I approached the folks that run that little business as you leave the Park about paying them to park there and start fishing to avoid the loop drive since we always fish the gorge at the lower end...they would have no part of the idea so we are still driving up and around....have mostly fished the lower section (last pull off where there are trees in the pull off) up to the last bridge....this section is not for the faint of heart but there are some real surprised way down there...

Roaring Fork is a little jewel for sure....last June my buddy and I approached the folks that run that little business as you leave the Park about paying them to park there and start fishing to avoid the loop drive since we always fish the gorge at the lower end...they would have no part of the idea so we are still driving up and around....have mostly fished the lower section (last pull off where there are trees in the pull off) up to the last bridge....this section is not for the faint of heart but there are some real surprised way down there...

Only thing that would be scarier is if that lady carried a shotgun

Prisioner asks "What did you get locked up for"

Man replies, " I was leaf blowing"

Prisioner then says, "Lucky for you that's only 30 days, I was landscasping and got 3 years!"

And she also believes she owns the stream that runs through her property.

Too funny! I love to fish there too and have ran into the same problem with the Mill folks before. We do have some relatives that own a week at the time share there and we were lucky to get it a couple of years ago. I was as happy as a witch in a broom factory cause I'd just go out the door, down the stairs and jump in.
Have any of you caught any Specs up toward the fork?

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<(((>< In tribute to Ben, Duck Hunter extraordinaire, and man's best friend.